The Third Time Around
by Dark Sadistic Angel
Summary: Old story upload. 1x2. Duo keeps on leaving Heero and returning back to Heero. After the third time, will Heero continue to accept him? Will the pattern go on?


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Disclaimers Apply.  
Fanfiction by: Dark Sadistic Angel  
C&C: darksadisticangel at  
Mature Audiences.  
Warnings/Description: 1x2, Lemon, Sap, Shonen-Ai, Slight Angst.  
Duo comes back again to Heero for a third time after leaving him. Will Duo leave him again?  
2002/03/01, 2002/08/03.

Title: The Third Time Around

It had been almost two years. Duo stood before the door, his finger paused just above the doorbell. It shook slightly as he willed himself to press the little button. The last time had been only a six month break. To date, this was the longest he had withstood being away from Heero. He wasn't entirely sure what Heero's reaction would be. Maybe not good. Duo swallowed. Closing his eyes, he jabbed at the button forcefully. Then he stepped back quickly. Holding his luggage tightly, he waited nervously.  
The door opened. Heero looked out from the doorway. He hadn't changed much at all. He had grown almost another ten centimetres and put on more muscle, but his face had not changed. It was still unreadable as always. He looked down at Duo. Not even surprise at finding his previous lover waiting nervously on his doorstep crossed his face.  
'Hello Heero,' Duo smiled uncertainly. 'Can I come in?'  
It was a simple question with a another question beneath. Being the third time around, they both understood what he was asking. Would Heero accept him back again?  
Heero left the door open wide and turned away. From a small cupboard nearby the doorway, he produced a pair of well worn slippers. He dropped the black pair onto the floor. Then Heero quietly held out his hand for Duo's bag. Duo nearly sighed in relief. Nothing had really changed. Heero's reaction was the same as before. But though Duo was relieved by it, he was also a little irked. The stone cold ex-soldier never changed.  
'Thanks.'  
Duo gave Heero the bag. He pulled his small carry suitcase behind him and closed the door behind him before he began to unlace his boots. Duo stepped into the slippers after placing his boots against the wall. Heero walked away from him into the apartment, and disappeared into a room adjoining the living room. Duo could hear faint sounds through the wall as Heero placed his belongings away. Duo wheeled his suitcase behind him as he made his way towards the sole bedroom in the apartment.  
'Have you had breakfast yet?'  
Heero paused in folding one of Duo's shirts.  
'No.'  
'I'll make some.'  
Heero nodded and proceeded to put away the shirt into a drawer. Duo left his suitcase inside the bedroom, knowing Heero would attend to its contents as well.

Almost half a hour later, he had the food ready on the small kitchen table. On his plate, rested two large slabs of bacon and a sizable helping of scrambled eggs. He prepared Heero's usual morning rice filled bowl and Japanese nato, and left the two across from his seat. Duo sat down and waited for Heero. When Heero appeared and seated himself down in front of Duo, they began to eat together.  
It felt so familiar. It was hard to believe time had past at all sitting across from Heero.  
'Say Heero... what have you've been up to lately?'  
'Work.'  
Duo nearly groaned. He had almost forgotten how bad Heero was at casual conversation. It drove him crazy, but Duo did not bother to utter a complaint. Complaints were useless after all. Instead he bit his lip and stabbed down at his food with his fork. Repetition, repetition. Practice makes a perfect fool. When would he learn to keep his mouth shut? Never maybe. He kept on failing to keep away after all.  
A badge clattered towards him. Duo caught it with his left hand before it fell off the table. He blinked down at it.  
'My old ID?'  
'Your current ID.'  
'I'm not a Preventer anymore. I quit remember? Two years...' his voice trailed off as he met Heero's gaze. 'Is it cleared with Wufei?'  
'It doesn't matter.'  
'He wasn't happy last time I quit, even though I did finish off the mission before I left,' Duo murmured as he looked down at the badge.  
'But you're back again.'  
There was something in Heero's tone that made Duo jerk up and look sharply at him. The brown hair man looked at him coolly.  
'Aren't you?'  
'Yeah... I'm back again,' Duo said softly. 'Sorry Heero.'  
Heero stood up.  
'It's no concern of mine,' he stated.  
Heero picked up his bowl and chopsticks and took them to the sink to clean, missing Duo's sudden flinch.  
'Finish your meal quickly. We have work.'  
'I'm not hungry really.' He pushed aside his plate. A hand stayed his own. Duo looked up in surprise. Heero towelled over him from behind.  
'Eat it. You're too skinny,' he bluntly stated. 'I can tell you haven't been eating right.' He closed his hand over Duo's hand and made Duo piece a cut strip of bacon with his fork. Then he directed it towards Duo's mouth.  
'Open your mouth.'  
Unsure what to make of Heero's odd actions, Duo obeyed him. A tasty piece of bacon dropped inside his mouth.  
'Now close it.'  
Heero tapped Duo's chin. Duo closed his mouth.  
'Chew,' he murmured, 'then swallow.'  
Duo chewed on the piece and swallowed it. He looked sideways at Heero with a baleful look, pretending he was not blushing at being treated as a child.  
'Oy, I do know how to eat you know.'  
Heero released Duo's hand.  
'Then do so. And make it fast. We have to be in the building before nine. Your re-registration will take time.'  
He knocked Duo on the head, none too gently with his knuckles, before moving away.  
'Ow... that hurt.'  
Heero ignored his complaint, as usual.

The re-registration took over three hours, including a brief but intensive physical, but that hadn't been the worse part. The worse part had been catching up with the events in the Preventer world. He had spent almost all the day simply reading old reports. He still had a whole pile left on his new, or rather old, desk space located next to Heero's own. Duo rubbed his eyes tiredly and yawned. His first day at work was finished. Duo lolled on the lounge room couch before a muted TV screen and stretched out his body. He had missed the couch. It was so soft and comfortable that it always seemed to lure him faster to sleep than his bed.  
A soft, flurry towel was dropped over his head just before his eyes drifted shut.  
'Take a shower.'  
Duo pulled the towel half off his head, and made a face.  
'Do I have to?' he mock whined.  
'Yes.'  
Bossy bastard! First day back, and already Heero had him hopping again to his orders. Duo snapped off a mock salute from the couch.  
'Gotcha sir.'  
Heero leaned over the back of the couch and looked down at Duo. Duo blinked up at him.  
'What?'  
'Nothing really. Just...'  
Heero reached down and slide a finger down the smooth curve of the bridge of Duo's nose. Duo's eyes flew open in surprise at the unexpected contact. His lips parted.  
'Heero...?' Duo whispered.  
He was wide awake now. Heero had never touched him before like that. It was too gentle. Too intimate. Almost like a lover.  
Heero withdrew his hand.  
'Now go take a shower.'  
Without saying anything further, the dark brown hair man abruptly left. Duo was left in a haze of befuddled confusion.

As he undressed inside the bathroom, Duo thought about Heero. Had something changed in their relationship after all? No... no. Not possible. But damnit, Heero was freaking him out with his odd actions. Freaking him out in a nice way, but still freaking the scared shit out of him. Duo tossed his black clothing into a basket and stepped into the shower. He turned on the shower faucet. Warm droplets water blasted his body as he untied the thin black band that kept his braid together and dropped the elastic band onto a small, protruding self nearby. He reached for the soap.  
Duo's damp hand paused briefly above the soap as he noticed the fact the soap and shampoo was new and unused. Duo grinned. They were his favourite brand. Heero had remembered his favourite brand and brought them for him. Inside he cursed himself for feeling goofy, but he couldn't help himself. It was only a small thing, but it made him all warm inside. He closed his wet fingers around the dry soap as he turned off the shower.  
The shower door slide open.  
'Gaa- Heero?!'  
Heero stood naked before him. The soap dropped to his feet without him noticing. Duo was far too absorbed in staring at Heero's splendid, chiselled shape. His eyes trailed down the length of Heero's body. God, he was beautiful. He had developed even more since the last time Duo had seen him- a hell lot more. Duo's groin stirred as a hot, heated flush crept throughout his body.  
'Did I surprise you?'  
His eyes was captured by Heero's half stirring erection.  
'Duo?'  
He wanted to stroke it. He wanted to feel...  
'Duo...'  
He ripped his gaze from Heero's manhood. His cheeks flamed as he met Heero's knowing eyes.  
'Did I surprise you?' Heero repeated.  
Although Heero showed nothing of his thoughts on Duo's survey, Duo was well aware they both knew where he had been staring at, and he was severely embarrassed by it.  
'Hell yeah- what are you doing here?'  
Everything was suppose to take place in the bedroom. Outside the bedroom, it was off limits. Supposedly. Heero had never shown interest in having sex before a set time at night, so what was he doing standing before him naked? Gloriously naked, but even so... He was not used to being caught nude in the shower, especially with his hair down. He felt vulnerable with it loose. What was going on?  
'Bringing you the conditioner.' Heero stepped inside the small shower stall, suddenly making the space suddenly seem even smaller. He held up a bottle before Duo's face.  
'See?'  
Duo hissed as Heero leant close past him and placed the bottle onto the wire shelf behind his head.  
'You know, you could have just left it outside, nearby the shower door.'  
'I didn't want to.'  
He looked down. Ignoring Duo's stirring erection, he pointed to Duo's right. 'You dropped the soap.'  
'Huh? Oh.'  
Duo turned and bent over to pick up the now slippery piece from a puddle. There was a faint swishing noise. Heero had apparently closed the shower door after him. He sighed in relief. Heero had left.  
A warm body touched his. Duo jerked back up at the contact.  
'Fuck!'  
Heero grabbed the soap from Duo's limp fingers before Duo could drop the white soap again. Duo looked up at Heero.  
'What are you still doing here?'  
'Is there a problem?'  
'I'm having a shower.'  
'Fine. I'll help you.'  
'What!?'  
Heero pulled Duo against him.  
'I said, I'll help you.'  
Duo gasped as he felt the hard bulge of Heero press against his lower abdomen.  
'My arse you're planning on helping me.'  
'Shut up Maxwell.'

Duo laid half in, half out of the shower stall groaning, his hair a tangled conditioned mess around his shuddering shoulders. He was bend over, his upper torso lying on the cold tiles as warm water streamed down his backside from the inside shower. A soapy hand masturbated his throbbing member as Duo moaned.  
'Not... right. This is not how... wait... ah...'  
Heero didn't book no appointment with him to... Appointment for sex? He was going crazy and Heero was making him crazy. No, beyond crazy because Heero was- Duo shivered as Heero teased his nape with little nips and licks.  
'Ooh... yesss.'  
Screw the rule book. He wanted to be screwed. He gasped as Heero slipped two fingers inside of him from behind.  
'Hee...ro...'  
Inside him, he could feel Heero's fingers rub against his anal walls. It produced a rippling sensation throughout his body.  
'More- more... aaah!'  
Heero shifted from his position behind Duo and moved his hand up from Duo's penis, to his waist. He pulled Duo back inside the stall again. As the droplets of warm water from the shower splayed his head again, Duo closed his eyes. The massaged in conditioner ran down his body in streams, merging with the soapy suds to form a slippery river. He felt Heero withdraw his fingers from his bottom.  
'Heero...?'  
His damp, heavy hair was swept from his back, down his left shoulder, as Heero pressed his face against Duo's spine. He embraced Duo around his chest, beneath his arms.  
'You smell good.'  
He rubbed Duo's tight nipples and then moved his hands down towards his pelvis. Gripping the hard erection below, Heero rubbed the tip of Duo's penis with his thumb.  
'You feel good too.'  
'Aaah- aah!' Duo panted. Water dripped into his mouth. He coughed and nearly choked. It tasted like soap. 'Aack. I'm dying.'  
He heard Heero laugh softly. There was briefly whining sound, and the shower stopped. Duo wiped his eyes, and blinked. A light stream drifted around them, flowing out of the open shower door into the bathroom.  
'Is that better?'  
Heero stroked the length of Duo's aching shaft. Duo moaned and stretched. A cool breeze from the outside drifted in and brushed against his naked skin. His skin prickled.  
'It's getting colder...'  
Heero pulled Duo closer and closed the shower door. Warm wet flesh merged against each other as they curled up inside the cramped stall.  
'Really?'  
'Not any more...'  
'Good. But just to make sure...' Heero lifted up a detachable shower head and flicked a lever to change the plumbing from the overhead shower. He turned the water on. The small shower head spurted. He sprayed Duo's body lightly with it. 'Does this feel nice?'  
'Yes.'  
He moved the shower head behind Duo.  
'Does this feel nicer?'  
Duo's eyes widened.

He rested exhausted on the bed on his side, naked. Duo was sore all over, inside and out. Heero was at his back, towering dry the long, messy chestnut strands of Duo's hair. They both smelt excessively of fresh forest scent.  
'Tell me the truth. What have you been doing all this time?'  
Heero nestled his chin against Duo's nape.  
'I told you already.'  
'Work? No, seriously, you can't have been working all the time.'  
'There wasn't anything else to do without you around.'  
Almost a minute passed before Duo remembered to close his mouth.  
'Oh... okay...'  
Heero turned on the blowdryer. He combed his hand through Duo's tressles and caressed the warm air over Duo's scalp. For the next remaining hour before sleeping, they did not speak again.  
In the middle of the night, the quiet was broken in the bedroom.  
'Duo...'  
Duo's lids fluttered up at the sound of his name. He rolled onto his side and looked sleepily at Heero.  
'Hmm?'  
'Duo...'  
His eyes widened in surprise. Heero was talking in his sleep and having a dream about him? He studied the tight expression on Heero's face. It look like he was having a nightmare more than a dream. Duo reached out to wake him.  
'Don't leave me... Duo.'  
His hand froze above Heero's shoulder.  
'Heero?' he whispered in shock.  
'Don't leave me again.'  
Duo found himself suddenly engulf in a painful embrace. Heero held onto him tightly, so much so Duo couldn't breathe.  
'Heero... Heero!' he hissed. 'Let me go.' He tugged at the impossibly tight gripe.  
'...Please...'  
The whispered word was filled with pain.  
'Heero?'  
'Please... don't go.'  
'Aw hell... what is this?' He slumped. Duo allowed Heero to pull him again in his vice like embrace. 'I be damned knowing how you really feel, but don't worry Heero. Provided you don't choke the life of me tonight, I won't be leaving you unless you want me to.' His eyes softened as he snuggled against Heero's hard body. 'I kinda lost the urge now.'  
Heero's tight expression relaxed. A small smile appeared on his lips as he fell back into deep sleep. His hold slackened as he did so, to Duo's relief. Briefly Duo considered moving back to his side of the bed, but the warmth of Heero lured him to remain. Duo watched him breath until he fell asleep again, nestled against Heero's chest.

Heero eyed Duo over his morning newspaper. His eyes had been tracking Duo since the braided Preventer greeted him with a perky kiss and a quick grope that left him aching upon entering the kitchen room. He was too happy. Something must have happened. Heero was worried. Was Duo planning to leave again? He had the same dream again last night that Duo was going to- but Duo had promised... No. That had been in the dream. The faint feeling of security he had woken up with disappeared entirely. Heero's eyes darkened.  
Duo always left him after a while. For what reasons, he did not know, but he wasn't sure if he could handle it the fourth time around. Each time he left, Duo stayed away longer. The next could, for all he knew, be forever. He was dead scared. Heero did not want to admit it to himself, but he was. The last two years had nearly killed him. Even though he had tried to distance himself from Duo when Duo had returned the second time around, it didn't work. The pain has been worse.  
He had been lucky enough to be granted a third chance. But if his plans failed... No. Failure was unacceptable. If Duo tried to leave him this time, he would stop Duo. He had to. If he failed, he nothing left. Heero suspected that he would not have another chance. Duo would not bother to drop by and see him again. The carefree man never needed him in the first place. He would have to face again a life filled with pain- if he did not take the short and swift route of the bullet, which was almost pain free.  
'There you go, rice-' Duo plopped a bowl of rice before him, 'and nuto. Jeez, how you stand the stuff, let alone eat it ever friggin day is God's wonder.'  
Duo handed Heero the packet as he placed down his newspaper. Duo seated himself over at the opposite end of the table and poured himself cereal.  
'I'm kinda busy today, so I won't be turning up for work.' Duo reached for the jug of milk. 'Can you do me a favour and drop him that parcel over there?' He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. 'Thanks.'  
'No.'  
Duo paused.  
'Huh?'  
'I'm not going to work today.'  
Duo dropped the container he held. A wide river of milk splashed over the table. Duo apparently did not notice the mess. He was staring at Heero in utter disbelief. Heero met the look with a neutral gaze of his own. The fact the milk had spilt over to his side as well, and was dripping in his lap did not bother him in the slightest.  
'Heero- are you okay!?'  
Duo dashed over to Heero's side and placed a palm on Heero's forehead. Heero frowned up at Duo in bemusement at the odd action.  
'What are you doing?'  
'Checking your temperature,' Duo removed his hand from Heero's head and touched his own. 'Strange. You don't seem to be in a fever.'  
'Stop joking around Duo.'  
Duo gave a frown to match Heero's. 'I'm not. Heero, why aren't you going to work? This isn't like you at all.'  
'Why aren't you?' Heero responded quietly.  
Duo stopped. An odd look suddenly came into his face.  
'Heero?'  
'Well?'  
A tiny smile turned up the corners of Duo's lips. 'Hey, I was just planning on going shopping for stuff I need, nothing much. You don't have to be so worried.' His blue eyes soften in a look Heero had not seen for years. 'There isn't going to be a fourth time around Heero.' Duo lent down and kissed Heero gently. 'Sorry Heero, but this time I'm here to stay.'

Here to... stay?  
'I don't believe you.'  
Duo would not stay. He had never stayed before. Why now? Heero eyed Duo's lips steadily as the other drew away from him. Lying lips.  
'Look Heero, I know it might seem like a lying, but I'm not. I'm never going to leave you again, I promise.'  
A dull pain spread through him.  
'I don't believe you,' he repeated.  
'Heero... you really think I'm lying, don't you?'  
'I don't understand you.'  
'What's so hard to get?'  
'What did I do to deserve this Duo?' Heero felt thrown. 'Why?'  
'Why not?'  
'I'm not worthy.'  
'... Oy... now I'm confused here. Just what do you mean by that?' An old chuckled came from Duo. 'It's not like I'm some sort of god, you know.'  
'You are to me.' Heero lowered his eyes.  
There was a sharp hiss from above him. Heero waited in silence.  
'Look me in the eye.'  
Heero stiffened.  
'Heero, I said, look me in the eye.'  
His heart thudded sharply as he met Duo's cobalt eyes. They were serious. He had seen the same look before. Three times before.  
'If you want me to leave, tell me now. If you do...' Duo drew in a deep breath, 'I promise this time I won't ever,' he stressed the word, 'come back again. Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you.' He reached down and entangled his hand into Heero's hair. 'But if you want me, I will promise that I will always stay by your side. I'll leave you only if you want me to leave. But know this Heero- I don't want to.'  
Was it true? He didn't know.  
'Do you want me to go?'  
No!  
'Do you want me to stay?'  
Yes!  
'Tell me.'  
He couldn't speak.  
'Tell me now.'  
Heero stood up from his seat, grabbed Duo and kissed him. Fear and want coursed through him. It echoed in his action. He pulled Duo tight against him. Heedless of the dampness from Duo's shirt soaking through into his, Heero communicated his desire to Duo with his forceful kiss. He didn't know how long or how many times he had kissed Duo before he finally drew back, but the other had collapsed against the table out of breath after he paused.  
Heero stepped between Duo's legs, and bent down his torso so he could look directly into Duo's lust glazed eyes. He swallowed once and reached down a hand. He placed his hand over Duo's rapidly moving chest, directly over his heart. He opened his mouth.  
'Don't leave me Duo.'  
He had meant to say it clearly, but instead it came out almost strangled.  
'Please stay.'  
'I said I will, didn't I? Fuck Heero, can we cut make the most of us being together now damnit!?'  
'...'

Fin.


End file.
